Village Craftsmen

Ocracoke Newsletter

September 21, 2010

The Life of Ocracoke Native, Major General Ira Thomas Wyche (1887-1981)

Upon
a small sand hill, “Cedar Hammock” by name, on the north end of Ocracoke
Island, the U.S. Life Saving Service established a new station in 1883. The
village of Ocracoke, a tiny settlement of fewer than 400 people, lay 14 miles
distant. Nothing but tidal flats, sea oat crowned sand dunes, several tidal
creeks, a few hammocks protected by live oaks and scrag cedars, and a foot path
lay between the station and the village.

James
W. Howard was commissioned first keeper of the Ocracoke Life Saving Station.
Six surfmen, all native islanders like the keeper, were assigned to the station
from August through May. The men soon built modest homes surrounding the station, and
brought their wives and families to live nearby. The Cedar Hammock community
numbered about two dozen.

Keeper James W. Howard:

Keeper
Howard, a former seafaring man, was 46 years old; his wife, Zilphia, a year
younger. Although Zilphia had born twelve children, only Lorena (16 years old),
Homer (15), Sabra (13), and Wheeler (7), had survived.

During
his twenty years of service at Cedar Hammock keeper Howard and his crew
demonstrated extraordinary courage and bravery, battling wind and tide to
rescue hundreds of sailors from schooners and other vessels that wrecked on
Ocracoke’s shore. During the off season, when the station was not manned,
Captain Jim and his family returned to their home in Ocracoke village, where
their ancestors had lived for more than a hundred years.

In
1884, Rev. Lawrence Olin Wyche, a native of Waynesville, NC, was assigned to
Ocracoke’s Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The small, wood frame church and
nearby parsonage were situated on Howard Street, just a few doors away from
Captain Jim and Miss Zilphia’s village home. In 1884 Rev. Wyche was 32 years
old, and unmarried.

The Ocracoke Methodist Episcopal Church, South (on Howard Street):

(Click on photo to view larger image.)

Rev.
Wyche, by all accounts, was a remarkable man. Handsome, talented, educated,
charismatic, and extremely personable, he was liked by all. Seventeen year old
Lorena Howard immediately fell in love with her new pastor. Feelings were
mutual, and the two were married in 1885.

Methodist
preachers in those days seldom served one charge for more than a year or two,
and Rev. Wyche was soon moved to the mainland where he ministered to
congregants in “Jones Circuit,” five small churches in eastern North Carolina.

Lorena
and Lawrence Wyche’s first child, Elsie, was born in 1886 on Ocracoke Island. Her
brother, Ira Thomas, followed in 1887; and another sister, Martha (Mott), was
born in 1893.

In
1897 Lorena Howard Wyche died suddenly, at the age of 31. She was buried in the
church yard on Ocracoke. Since Rev. Wyche was still “riding the circuit” on the
mainland, Captain Jim and Miss Zilphia assumed guardianship of Elsie, Ira, and
Mott. During the “active season” the children accompanied their grandparents to
Cedar Hammock. Their father returned to the island as often as possible.

Rev.
Wyche was visiting his children in December of 1899. He had brought Christmas
presents from the mainland, and was preparing to celebrate the holidays with
his Ocracoke family, when the British steamship, Ariosto, ran aground on
Christmas Eve. Most of the ship’s crew chose to abandon ship. Their life boats
immediately capsized and they were thrown into the frigid ocean water.
Twenty-one sailors drowned that terrible night. Had they all remained on board
the ship all would almost certainly have been rescued. As it was, nine
survived, thanks to heroic efforts by the Life Saving crew.

Rev.
Wyche conducted Christian burials for the sailors whose bodies washed upon the
beach. Christmas at Cedar Hammock was a somber celebration in 1899.

Tragically,
just three and a half months later, Rev. Wyche died suddenly. He was buried in
the Howard cemetery near his wife’s eight small brothers and sisters. Lorena’s
body was soon disinterred and re-buried beside her husband.

Elsie,
Ira, and Mott continued to live with their grandparents, on Howard Street
during the summer, and at Cedar Hammock the rest of the year. An old horse
stable near the station was converted to a schoolhouse, and a schoolmaster, “Captain
Wilson,” was employed to instruct the children.

Ira’s
uncle, Franklin Pierce Wyche, soon invited him to attend the Quackenbush School
in Laurinburg, Scotland County, North Carolina, where Mr. Wyche was director. For
a time Ira also attended the Trinity Park School in Durham, NC, under the
administration of a young Methodist minister, Rev. W. W. Peele.

Upon
graduation from high school Ira enrolled at the United States Military
Academy
at West Point. The Laurenburg School was so highly respected that a
certificate of graduation from Quackenbush exempted Ira from taking an
entrance examination. He graduated from the Academy June 13, 1911, and
was commissioned
a second lieutenant in the 13th Infantry.

Over
the next three and a half decades Ira Wyche’s career advanced
steadily. During World War I he served with the American Expeditionary
Force in France. In June of 1941 he assumed command of the 79th
Division. In June of 1944 the 79th Division landed on Utah Beach in
Normandy. General Wyche led his troops, often in fierce combat, across
Europe and into Germany. During this time General Wyche worked
closely with Field Marshall Mongomery, Prime Minister Winston
Churchill, and Generals Eisenhower, Bradly, and Patton. The 79th was
occupying Essen when Germany surrendered. At his
retirement, in 1948, Wyche held the permanent rank of Major General,
privileged to wear the two
star insignia.

During his service, in addition to campaign ribbons, he was awarded the
Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with two
oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Ribbon, and the French Order
of the Legion of Honor, grade of Officer, Croiz-de-Guerre Avec Palm.
(For more detailed information about General Wyche's
career see the bulleted highlights at the end of this article.)

Ira Thomas Wyche:

(Click on photo to view a larger image.)

Insights
into General Wyche’s character and personality can be gleaned from public
records and various newspaper reports (undated and unattributed) that were
collected and preserved by his elder sister Elsie.

A small booklet, "The Cross of Lorraine Division: The Story of
the 79th" (one of a series of G.I Stories published by the
Stars & Stripes in Paris in 1944-1945), relates this story:

“Mopping up ‘Bloody Hill’ was the division's final
chore in the La Haye sector. There, Maj. Gen. I.T. Wyche, division commander,
graphically displayed the caliber of leadership the 79th has enjoyed since
activation. On one of his daily visits to the front, he found a platoon pinned
to the slope. There was little or no cover and an understandable degree of
disorganization prevailed. Repeatedly exposing himself to enemy fire, Gen.
Wyche regrouped the men and led them a distance of two hedgerows to a position
where they were enabled to knock out the strongpoint. At the peak of action he
struggled in front of the battle line to help evacuate a wounded infantry
scout.”

Another
newspaper account mentions his “black hair” and “leathery face…wrinkled with
lines of kindliness” and his “small stature” which belie his “mental vigor and
quick action,” all of which “impress those in his presence.”

General Wyche:

(Click on photo to view larger image.)

The
newspaper reports that “[e]ach day that he is in camp, the major general’s
flag, with two stars, is displayed on each side of the entrance to the
Seventy-Ninth Division headquarters."

Major General's Flag:

The
account goes on to say that “General Wyche is a reticent man; his modesty does
honor to the soldiers in his command. He would say nothing about himself;
instead he recognizes his troops on every occasion."

General
Wyche was an accomplished horseman, a reflection of his early childhood on
Ocracoke living with his grandfather, Captain Jim Howard, also an avid
equestrian.

The
above quoted newspaper says that “General Wyche is fond of horses. His own
mount died recently, but he rides his wife’s thoroughbred horse over the
training area while observing troops.”

In
spite of his “aggressive” nature, another press report says “General Wyche is
one of the most popular officers in the Army, and his coming to the post [Fort
Bragg] is always the signal for a round of social festivities.”

Earl
O’Neal, in his book “Ocracoke Island, Its People, the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy
Base During World War II,” writes that after Germany’s surrender in 1945
“General Wyche threw a farewell party for all unit commanders down to Battalion
level at Neheim, Germany.”

Ocracokers are justly proud of "cousin Iry" as my father always
referred to him, a native son who distinguished himself in the service
of his country.

Service in a half
dozen western Army camps from 1911 – 1918, including tours of duty in California
and Alaska, and another with the Texas Border Patrol (1916-1918).

Marriage to Mary
Louise Dunn, daughter of Colonel and Mrs. George M. Dunn, in 1917.

Service in France
with the American Expeditionary Force during World War I where he served with the 60th
Field Artillery as captain (then major and lieutenant colonel) in the St. Die
sector of France.

Birth of his daughter, Elizabeth, November 15, 1919 in Washington, DC.
(Elizabeth married Henry C. Flory who served as captain in the R.A.F. during
World War II.)

Graduation from
the Mounted Service School (1916), Field Artillery School (1924), Command and
General Staff School (1925), and the Army War College (1934).

Instructor in
various cavalry and field artillery branches of the Army, including regimental
commander at Camp Jackson, S.C.

Military
intelligence officer for the 4th Corps Area in Atlanta, Georgia.

Assistant Chief
of Staff for plans, training and supply of 4th Corps.

Service in the
office of the Chief of Field Artillery (colonel), Washington, DC, 1940.

Commissioned
Brigadier General (1941), and given command of the 74th Field
Artillery Brigade, 4th Army Corps, at Camp Blanding, Florida.

Sent to Camp
Pickett, Virginia to organize the 79th Division, May 3, 1941.

Formally assumed
command of the 79th Division, June 15, 1941.

Commissioned Major
General (commander
of a division of 10,000 to 20,000 soldiers who is capable of fully independent
field operation.), April 17, 1942.

The 79th
Division (nicknamed the “Cross of Lorraine Division”) under command of General
Wyche landed on Utah Beach, Normandy, June 12, 1944, spearheading the assault
on Fort Du Roule, and helping to clear the Cherbourg area of Germans by June
28.

In July and
August, 1944 the 79th marched 2,300 miles across Western Europe,
fighting some of the Third Reich’s finest panzer and parachute divisions, as it
made its way through France, and into the Belgian frontier.

By September 7,
the 79th entered the Alsace-Lorraine region, and became embroiled in
128 days of bitter, almost continuous combat. By the middle of December they
had fought their way into Germany, but were unable to penetrate the Siegfried
Line.

In January of
1945 two regiments of the 79th met a formidable German offensive,
and though the 79th lost ground, they inflicted so many casualties
on the Germans that the offensive was halted.

In late February
the 79th continued its advance, moving through Belgium and southern
Holland, returning to Germany in the first week of March.

On March 24, 1945
the Cross of Lorraine Division crossed the Rhine River (this endeavor was codenamed “Operation
Flashpoint”).

By April 11, the
79th was in the Ruhr area and occupied Essen.

After the
surrender of Germany, on May 8, 1945, General Wyche was transferred to command
the VIII Corps (Camp Gruber, OK) in Germany, which position he held until
December, 1945.

During 1946
General Wyche served on the Officer Interview Board, commanded the III Corps at
Camp Polk, LA,
then became commanding officer of the 1st Service Command at Boston.

In January of
1947 President Truman appointed General Wyche Inspector General of the Army, the
position he held until he retired in September, 1948. He was 61 years old.

After his retirement in 1948, General Wyche moved to Pinehurst,
N.C. He died in 1981 (two years after his wife) in Moore General Hospital
following a stroke, and was buried in the Fort Bragg National Cemetery.